Support for appliances to be worn on the head

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a support ( 1 ) for appliances ( 40 ) to be worn on the head, which comprises a bow-shaped base ( 2 ) and support elements ( 10 ) in the area of its front end ( 3 ), said support elements resting on the front of a user, support elements ( 10 ) in a further section, for example its center section ( 4 ), said support elements resting on the head of the user in the area of the top, and support elements ( 10 ) disposed on the bow ( 2 ) in the area of its rear end ( 5 ), said support elements resting on the back of the user&#39;s head. All support elements ( 10 ) can be adapted to be adjustable relative to the bow ( 2 ). On one end ( 3 ) of the bow ( 2 ), especially the front end, an appliance ( 40 ) can be fastened. Such an appliance ( 40 ) can be a visual aid or the like. On the other end ( 5 ) of the bow ( 2 ), especially the rear end, electronic components and/or a counterweight are provided for the purpose of balance and are preferably disposed in a housing ( 30 ) linked with a slide ( 22 ) for adjusting the support elements ( 10 ) that rest on the back of the head.

The invention relates to a support for devices which are to be worn onthe head.

These supports are known in the prior art, in which connection forexample reference can be made to WO 01/003819.

The known supports can be used for example by surgeons in surgery forholding vision aids. The known supports are not only constructed in arelatively complex manner, they also cannot be easily matched to theshape and size of the head of the user. It is also difficult to put onthe known support.

The known supports for devices which are to be worn on the headgenerally have a ring which encompasses the head and which in use on thehead of the user is arranged similarly to a hatband, and a crown bandwhich runs from the forehead to the back of the head of the user.

WO 01/003819 A discloses equalizing as much as possible, in thesesupports, the weight of the device which is attached to the support, forexample a vision aid for surgeons, by counterweights which are mountedin the area of the back of the head in order to increase the comfort ofwearing.

The object of the invention is to make available a support of theinitially mentioned type which is simple in structure and is verycomfortable to wear.

This object is achieved as claimed in the invention with a support whichhas the features of claim 1.

Preferred and advantageous embodiments of the support as claimed in theinvention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The support as claimed in the invention consists in its basic structureof a bow which extends from the front of the head (forehead) to the backof the head of a user and which is supported via several supportelements on the head. Due to the support elements which are located onthe bow the support as claimed in the invention can be easily matched tothe shape of the head of the user by the support elements being changedwith respect to their location and/or alignment.

The matching of the support as claimed in the invention to differenthead shapes and/or sizes in the support as claimed in the invention ismade especially easy when support elements combined into groups arearranged on the bow of the support. In one embodiment of the support ofthe invention at least one group of support elements is adjustablymounted on the bow. Thus the support can be quickly matched to the sizeof the head and it becomes easier to put on/take off the support.

Within the framework of the invention it is preferable if the supportelements are made in the manner of cushions.

The support elements can be supported to be able to swivel on the bow inseveral directions so that their alignment can be automatically matchedto the alignment of the head of the user in the areas in which supportelements adjoin. In order to still guarantee a secure fit of thesupport, it can be provided that the support elements can be freelyswivelled only to a limited degree, therefore within a limited area.

In one practical embodiment it can be provided that support elements,optionally combined into groups of several support elements, are locatedon the end of the bow which lies in the area of the forehead of theuser, on the end of the bow which lies in the area of the back of thehead, and in the middle section of the bow.

It can be provided that the support elements are located on the frontend of the bow and on the back end of the bow, each in a row whichextends preferably transversely to the bow, conversely the supportelements located in the middle section of the bow, therefore the supportelements which fit tightly in the area of the crown of the head of theuser, lie in at least two rows which are located on the two sides of thebow and which are aligned preferably essentially parallel to the bow.

A movement capacity of the support elements can be achieved by theirbeing supported to be able to swivel on the bow, preferably on levers.Here it can be provided that the levers on which the support elementsare located for their part are supported to be able to swivel by baselevers which are pivotally supported on the bow of the support.

On the front end of the bow, therefore the end which lies in the area ofthe forehead of the user, there can be a connecting point for a devicewhich is to be attached to the support. These devices can be vision aidswhich are used by surgeons or precision mechanics, for example with zoomand autofocus, for example vision aids of the construction described inWO 96/09566 A and/or WO 01/03819 A. On the support as claimed in theinvention however also other devices which are to be worn on the head,such as displays, in which data, installation diagrams, and the like aredisplayed, night vision devices, spotlights, lights, protective devices(welding shields), protective shields and the like are attached.

In the support as claimed in the invention the support elements can bemade differently and/or can consist of different materials, in order tomatch them to the respective location on the head of the user. Thus thetype and configuration of the support elements can take into accountwhether they adjoin the skin or the hair of the user.

In one embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the supportelements have cushions which are supplied with negative pressure inorder to improve the fit of the support as claimed in the invention onthe head of the user.

In order to achieve at least partial weight equalization between adevice which is mounted on the front end of the bow of the support asclaimed in the invention, which ends lies in the area of the forehead ofthe user, with the remaining part of the support as claimed in theinvention, it can be provided that heavy components such as electroniccomponents and the like, as well as connection points for transmissionelements, such as for example sockets or infrared ports, for theconnection of supply and/or data and/or control lines, are provided inthe area of the back end of the bow. These heavy-weight components canbe provided for example also in the area of the middle section of thebow.

In order to be able to easily match the support as claimed in theinvention to the head size, it can be provided that the support elementswhich fit tightly in the area of the back end on the back of the head ofthe user are attached optionally via levers/base levers to a carrierwhich can be moved on the back end of the bow, for example a carriage.To adjust this carriage, for example there can be a set screw which isequipped with a control knob.

The support elements which are located in the middle section of the bowcan be mounted to be able to move along the bow on a carrier, forexample, a carriage, in order to be able to move it into a locationwhich is favorable for contact with the crown of the head of the user ofthe support.

Swivelling means can be assigned to the connection point for the devicewhich is to be attached to the support as claimed in the invention andwhich lies preferably in the area of the front end of the bow. With sucha swivelling means the device can be swivelled out of the position ofuse into a position of nonuse. This is important for example in opticalvision aids for surgeons when they want to obtain an overview of thesurgical field for example without using the vision aid and must swivelthe vision aid away for this purpose. Here it is provided that when thedevice is swivelled back into its position of use the base position isreached again in any case automatically and without further help. Theswivelling, specifically swivelling in and/or out, can take place byhand or using a drive which is assigned to the swivelling means.

The bow of the support can be made hollow in order to accommodate in itlines for the power supply, control and/or data transmission from or tothe device which is mounted on the bow. In addition, in the bow of thesupport, especially in the crown area, there can be a trough which isopen to the top for holding lines, for example cold light lines.

Other details, features and advantages of the support as claimed in theinvention follow from the description of one embodiment below using thedrawings.

FIG. 1 shows a support as claimed in the invention without a deviceattached to it in a side view;

FIG. 2 shows the support from FIG. 1 viewed from obliquely forward andoverhead,

FIG. 3 shows the support from FIG. 1 viewed from overhead,

FIG. 4 shows a section along line C-C in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 shows a section along line E-E in FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 shows in a side view a support placed on the head of the userwith a device attached to it in the form of an optical vision aid, and

FIG. 7 shows in an oblique view from obliquely forward a support asclaimed in the invention with the optical vision aid attached to it.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support 1 as claimed in the invention hasa bow 2 with a front end 3 which can be located in the area of theforehead of the user, with a middle section 4 which is located in thearea of the crown of the user, and with a back end 5 which, when thesupport 1 as claimed in the invention is located on the head of theuser, is located in the area of the back of his head.

In the area of the front end 3, in the area of the middle section 4 andin the area of the back end 5 of the bow 2 of the support 1 as claimedin the invention, there are groups 6, 7, and 8 respectively of severalsupport elements 10. The group 6 which is provided in the area of thefront end 3 of the bow 2 in the embodiment has four support elements 10which are made in the manner of round cushions. In the area of themiddle section 4 of the bow 2 the group 7 has support elements 10 whichare located on either side of the bow 2 (FIGS. 2 and 3) in the form ofround cushions. The group 8 which is located in the area of the back end5 of the bow 2 has four support elements 10 in the form of roundcushions.

The support elements 10 of the group 6 in the area of the front end 3and those of the group 8 in the area of the back end 5 of the bow 2 areeach arranged essentially in a row which is aligned transversely to thelengthwise extension (plane of symmetry) of the bow 2. The supportelements 10 of the group 7 which is located in the middle section of thebow 2 are arranged in two rows which are aligned on either side of thebow 2 and essentially parallel to its middle section 4 (FIG. 3).

So that the support elements 10 which are made in the embodiment asround cushions can be easily matched to the shape and/or position of thearea of the head of the user on which they fit tightly, the supportelements 10 are pivotally attached to the bow 2.

In the embodiment the support elements 10 are attached for example to beable to swivel on the levers 12 via pivot ball bearings. Each of theselevers 12 which on its ends bears one cushion-shaped support element 10at a time, in the area of its middle is articulated to another lever,the base lever 14. The base levers 14 for their part are pivotallysupported on the bow 2 of the support 1. The levers 12 can be pivotableon the base levers 14 around an axle or around a pivot (ball joint). Thebase levers 14 on the bow 2 can be swivelled around an axle or around aswivelling point in the manner of a ball joint. A combination of thesetwo swivelling possibilities (swivelling around an axle on the one handand swivelling around a pivot (ball joint) on the other) are possible.For example, the support elements 10 on the levers 12 and the baselevers 14 can be swivelled to all sides on the bow 2 and the levers 12can be supported on the base levers 14 to be able to swivel around theaxles which are preferably aligned perpendicular to the plane ofsymmetry of the bow 2.

The group 7 of support elements 10 in the middle section 4 of the bow 2is mounted on a carriage 20 which can be moved in the lengthwisedirection of the middle section 4 and which can be fixed in the desiredposition.

The group 8 of support elements 10 in the area of the back end 5 of thebow 2 is mounted on a carriage 22 which using a set screw which isequipped with an control knob 24 can be moved along the back end 5 ofthe bow 2, which end is straight in the embodiment shown.

The adjustability of the support elements 10 in the middle section 4 ofthe bow 2, which section is made bent flat in the embodiment shown, isused mainly to match the support 1 as claimed in the invention to theshape of the head of the user.

The adjustability of the support elements 10 in the area of the back end5 of the bow 2, therefore of the support elements 10 which adjoin theback of the head of the user, when the support 1 is being used, is usedmainly for putting on the support 1.

For example, the support 1 with the group 8 of support elements 10 whichhas been pushed to the rear is put on—the support elements 10 of thegroups 6 and 7 fit tightly on the head of the user—and then the supportelements 10 are brought into contact with the back of the head by movingthe carriage 22. Thus a secure fit of the support 1 on the head of theuser is achieved by the support elements 10 of the group 6 fittingtightly in the area of the forehead, the group 8 in the area of the backof the head and the group 7 in the area of the crown.

The carriage 22 on the back, straight end 5 of the bow 2 on which theback support elements 10 are located, can have a housing 30 for holdingelectronic components and/or weights so that equalization of the weightbetween a device 40 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which is attached to the front end 3of the bow 2 can be achieved, therefore the support 1 is essentially inequilibrium with support in the area of the group 7 of support elements10.

In the wall of the housing 30 on the carriage 22 and/or on the bow 2there can be at least one connecting point for transmission elements,for example a socket 32 or infrared ports for connection of powersupply, data and/or control lines.

The bow 2 is preferably made hollow so that lines can be accommodated inits interior from and to the device 40 which has been attached to itsfront end.

In addition, especially in the crown area, on the outside of the bowthere can be a groove 26 for holding at least one line (FIGS. 2 and 4).Here it can be for example a line to a cold light source which isattached to the bow 2 and which is located especially on the front endof the groove 26. This cold light source in the manner of a head-mountedspotlight illuminates the field of vision and thus follows the movementsof the head of the user of the support 1 as claimed in the invention.

On the end 3 of the bow 2, which end is the front end in the embodimentand which is located roughly in the area of the forehead of the user ofthe support 1 as claimed in the invention (FIG. 6), there is aconnecting point 50 for a device 40 which is to be worn on the head ofthe user via the support 1 as claimed in the invention.

In the illustrated embodiment, it is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 that anoptical vision aid 40, as is used for example by surgeons in surgery,can be mounted on the support 1 as claimed in the invention.

To do this, on the optical vision aid 40 there is a lever system 42, 43which is made in the manner of a knee joint, and with its free end 44 isattached to the front end 3 of the bow 2 of the support 1. Here it isprovided that at the connecting point 50 for the device 40 which is tobe attached to the support 1 there is a swivelling drive which makes itpossible to swivel the device 40 for example out of the position of useshown in FIG. 6 up into the readiness position. The swivelling drive ofthe connecting point 50 in the area of the front end 3 of the bow 2 isaligned such that when the device 40 is swivelled back into the positionof use shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the same (optionally preset) initialposition is always reached. The swivelling can take place by hand orusing the (motorized) swivelling drive.

This embodiment of the connecting point 50 makes it possible for examplefor a surgeon, during surgery, by swivelling up the vision aid 40 usingthe swivelling drive of the connecting point 50 (initiated for exampleby a foot-operated switch) to survey the entire surgical field and afterswivelling the vision aid 40 back into the position of use (FIGS. 6 and7), to continue the surgery. It is advantageous if the optical visionaid 40 after swivelling back again assumes exactly the position of usewhich it had before. The position of use can take place by adjusting thelever system 42, 43, therefore the angle which is assumed by the twoparts of the lever system 42, 43 with the vision aid 40 on the one handand the front end 3 of the bow 2 on the other, and to one another.

In summary, one preferred embodiment of the invention can be describedas follows:

A support 1 for devices 40 which are to be worn on the head has anessentially bow-shaped base body 2 and in the area of its front end 3has support elements 10 which adjoin the forehead of the user, inanother, for example in its middle section 4, support elements 10 whichin the area of the crown adjoin the head of the user, and supportelements 10 which are located in the area of its back end 5 on the bow 2and which adjoin the back of the head of the user. All support elements10 can be adjustable to the bow 2. A device 40 can be attached to oneend 3 of the bow 2, especially the front end. Such a device 40 can be avision aid or the like. On the other, especially the back end 5 of thebow 2, as weight equalization there are electronic components and/or acounterweight, preferably in a housing 30 which is connected to acarriage 22 for adjusting the support elements 10 which adjoins the backof the head.

1-34. (canceled)
 35. Support (1) for devices (40) which are to be wornon the head, such as for example optical vision aids or the like orprotective devices, with a bow-shaped base body (2) which bears severalsupport elements (10) which can be placed against the head of the user,there being support elements (10) in the area of the two ends (3, 5) andin the area of the middle sections (4) of the bow (2), and supportelements (10) being supported to be able to swivel freely to all sideson the bow (2) via levers (12, 14), characterized in that there aresupport elements (10) in the area of the front end (3) of the bow (2),which end is located in the position of use in the area of the foreheadof the user, further in the area of the middle section (4) of the bow(2) which is located in the position of use in the area of the crown ofthe head of the user, and in the area of the back end (5) of the bow (2)which is located in the position of use in the area of the back of thehead of the user, and that the support elements (10) in the area of theback end (5) of the bow (2) are located on a carrier, for example, acarriage (22), which can be moved along the back end (5) of the bow (2).36. Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein support elements (10) arecombined into several groups (6, 7, 8) of two or more support elements(10).
 37. Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein the swivellingcapacity of the support elements (10) is limited or can be limited. 38.Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein the support elements (10) aresupported to be able to swivel on the levers (12).
 39. Support asclaimed in claim 38, wherein the levers (12) for their part aresupported to be able to swivel on the bow (2) via base levers (14). 40.Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein the support elements (10) havecushions which can be placed against the head of the user.
 41. Supportas claimed in claim 40, wherein the cushions can be supplied withnegative pressure.
 42. Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein thesupport elements (10) in the area of the back end (5) of the bow (2) canbe moved in the lengthwise direction of the bow (2).
 43. Support asclaimed in claim 35, wherein there is an actuating device such as a setscrew (24) for moving the carriage (22).
 44. Support as claimed in claim35, wherein on the carriage (22) there is a housing (30) with a holdingspace for electronic components and the like and/or counterweights. 45.Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein on the carriage (22) and/or onthe bow (2) there is at least one connecting point for transmissionelements, for example sockets or infrared ports, jacks for connection oflines such as power supply lines, data lines, control lines and thelike.
 46. Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein the back end (5) ofthe bow (2) is made straight.
 47. Support as claimed in claim 35,wherein the back end (5) of the bow (2) is made bent.
 48. Support asclaimed in claim 35, wherein the middle section (4) of the bow (2) ismade straight.
 49. Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein the middlesection (4) of the bow (2) is made bent.
 50. Support as claimed in claim35, wherein the support elements (10) which are located in the middlesection (4) of the bow (2) are arranged in at least two rows which runpreferably parallel to the bow (2).
 51. Support as claimed in claim 35,wherein the support elements (10) are carried by a carriage (20) whichis movably arranged in the middle section (4) of the bow (2). 52.Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein the support elements (10) arelocated on the front end of the bow (3) in a row which is alignedtransversely to the bow (2).
 53. Support as claimed in claim 35, whereinthe support elements (10) are located on the back end (5) of the bow (2)in a row which is aligned transversely to the bow (2).
 54. Support asclaimed in claim 35, wherein on one end, preferably on the front end(3), of the bow (2) there is a connecting point (50) for at least onedevice (40) or contrivance which is to be attached to the support (1).55. Support as claimed in claim 54, wherein a swivelling drive isassigned to the connection (50) for the device (40) which is to beattached to the support (1).
 56. Support as claimed in claim 55, whereina device (40) which is attached to the connecting point (50) can bemoved by the swivelling drive, proceeding from a given, optionallyadjustable base position.
 57. Support as claimed in claim 35, whereinthe bow (2) is made hollow.
 58. Support as claimed in claim 35, whereinon the bow (2) there is a groove (26).
 59. Support as claimed in claim58, wherein there is a groove (26) in the area of the middle section (4)of the bow (2).
 60. Support as claimed in claim 35, wherein it isequipped with at least one sensor which adjoins the head of the wearerand which accepts measured physiological values and current pulses ofthe wearer.
 61. Support as claimed in claim 60, wherein at least one ofthe support elements (10) is made as a sensor.
 62. Support as claimed inclaim 35, wherein on the bow (2) there is at least one housing (30) witha holding space for electronic components and the like.